Transcription
marykoleMEDIA KIT
:aboutEDITOR IA L SERV ICE T EST IM ON I A LS“Mary is a one-woman MFA program.”K I M W.“I had several ‘a-ha’ moments whilereading your feedback . I highlyrecommend your services.”ALLISON MORGANAuthor of The Someday Jar“If you are lucky enough to have MaryKole read your manuscript you will findyourself in the hands of a gifted editor.”CYNTHIA WETZLERMary Kole is a freelance editor, author and blogger whosegoal is to help writers of children’s literature createcompelling stories for young readers. A former Californiaand New York literary agent for the Andrea Brown LiteraryAgency and Movable Type Literary, she received an MFAin Creative Writing from the University of San Franciscoand interned in the children’s editorial department atChronicle Books. Mary has spoken at over 75 writer’sconferences and workshops across the world, has beendeeply involved with organizations including the SCBWI,Writer’s Digest, and NaNoWriMo. She has recently beenteaching the concept of interiority almost exclusively.Her blog on children’s writing and publishing, Kidlit.com,receives an average of 17,000 hits per month. It has beennamed one of the “101 Best Websites for Writers” byWriter’s Digest every year since its inception in 2009. Herbook, Writing Irresistible Kidlit (Writer’s Digest Books, 2012)has sold 11,000 copies and is rated 5 on Amazon.com.Mary has also worked as a freelance writer fornewspapers and magazines, including the Los AngelesTimes, and was named one of 20 writers to follow onTwitter in 2017. She currently works as a freelance editorwith over 500 clients per year. She lives in Minneapoliswith her husband and two sons.M A RY KO L E . C O M K I D L I T. C O M New York Times Writer“As the author of Writing IrresistibleKidlit, she knows what goes into a greatkids’ book.”S TA C I E L AY N E W I L S O NScreenwriter and filmmaker“Mary got me one of the best agents inthe business! Okay, okay, that’s notstrictly true—I did actually write thestuff myself, but I did it with the help ofMary’s editing services. After workingwith her on several manuscripts, Isigned with my dream rep. Mary’scritiques continue to help me—I nowapply her advice to every story I writeand it’s really working!”FRANZISKA G.“It genuinely feels like you’ve handedme a golden compass so I can trek off inthe right direction now to ultimatelyfind buried treasure.”[email protected]
:Q&AWhy are children’s books so exciting to write and publish?Children’s books attract a passionate group of writersbecause we are quite literally shaping the bright youngminds of the future. Child and teen readers tend to becurious, voracious, and deeply invested in characterand story. It’s impossible to find a more passionate readership. Plus, the books we write and publish for youngreaders can have an incredible impact on people whoare still figuring out the big questions of life. Quitesimply, kids’ books can change lives and, maybe, in asmall way, the world. There is no better motivation thatthat!You’re a freelance editor, helping writers work toward theirpublishing dreams. What’s key to writing for middle gradeand young adult readers?For hooking young readers, character tends to be themost important craft element. Learning how to write acompelling character brings with it the concepts ofrelatability, voice, interiority, and theme. A writer’s primary job is to make readers care deeply, and so characteris the key that unlocks everything else in a manuscript.How did you come up with the term “interiority” and howcrucial is this concept to compelling children’s literature?I’ve been using the term “interiority” to define a character’s thoughts, feelings, and reactions. This concept hasbecome one of the cornerstones of my editorial philosophy. How a character interacts with the story is crucial toa reader’s engagement with a manuscript. Which eventsmatter? Why do they matter? What’s the hidden contextthat can come to the surface and deepen a scene? Howdoes the plot act on characters and their relationships?What is a character’s primal, driving objective as theymove through a story?M A RY KO L E . C O M K I D L I T. C O M All of these things are wrapped up in the practice ofinteriority. How a character goes through the plot, whatthey focus on, what it means to them, etc. This is whatmatters to audiences. Interiority creates writing withnuance and substance.What are the secret ingredients for writers looking tosucceed in the publishing industry?Very few writers are an overnight success. J.K. Rowlingand Stephenie Meyer are noteworthy exactly becausetheir stories are so unique. Most writers achieve successover a period of years, with stumbling blocks and“drawer manuscripts”. But the most common traits I seein working writers are: perseverance, humility, and adriving desire to learn and grow.What’s one trap that aspiring writers fall into?Many people chase the reward (publication) instead ofthe work (writing). Writing is such an emotional andintimate craft that everyone wants to see their dreamscome true in a big way, sure. But publication is one smallfacet of the writing life, believe it or not. Those writerswho find lasting fulfillment come to love the writing,revision, and learning process. They are fulfilled by thejoy of practicing their craft, no matter what else happens.What’s the hardest writing lesson to learn?Relax. No seriously, relax. (Easier said than done, right?)Trust yourself to communicate clearly, and trust yourreader to interpret it. Try to find your own writing voiceinstead of emulating what you think your writing is orshould be. This maturity and confidence, which comewith time and practice, often separate aspiring writersfrom published [email protected]
:interviewsMary has been interviewed by many online platforms including the SCBWI and NaNoWriMo as a literary agent, editor,blogger and author. Here is a selection of recent interviews. Visit her blog (kidlit.com/about) for a complete list.FRE E LANCE EDITO RI NTE RVI E W: MARYKOLEEDIT ING A NDWO R K ING WIT H A NEDITOR BY M A RYKO L EEDITOR , P U BL IS HE R ,WR IT ER : T H E SC O O PON M A RY KOL Eonly picture booksinsecure writers’support groupsarah scoopJuly 23, 2018 July 9, 2018 June 5, 2018 CH I LD RE N’S BOOKE D I TOR MARY KOL EON R AI S I NG AVIDRE AD E R SWR IT ING T IM EL ESSSTOR IESFIV E QU EST ION SWIT H EDITOR M A RYKOL Eopeeqoscbwi pal newslettersmith publicity inc.Jan 2018 Oct 30, 2017 Feb 17, 2016 C O N TA C T M A R Y K O L EMary is available for interviews, by-line articles,workshops, and conferences. You can reach her om@marykoleeditorial@kid litMARYKOLE.COM KIDLIT.COM [email protected]
:bookWR I TI N G IR R E S IST IB L E KIDLIT(Writer’s Digest Books, 2012)Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just "kids’ stuff" anymore—it's kidlit! The YA and MGbook markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readersand teaches you how to: Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adultaudiences and how they impact your writing. Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership. Avoid common mistakes and clichés that are prevalent in YA and MGfiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more. Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords.Mary Kole's candid commentary and insightful observations, as well as a collectionof book excerpts and personal insights from bestselling authors and editors whospecialize in the children's book market, are invaluable tools for your kidlit career.If you want the skills, techniques, and know-how you need to craft memorablestories for teens and tweens, Writing Irresistible Kidlit can give them to you.PRAISE FOR WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLITAmazon 5 Goodreads 4.5 (91 Reviews)“I have read a lot of books on writingand none compare to this—evenStephen King’s On Writing. This is thebest writing book ever.”SARAH LEITH BAHN“From now on if I see a writing craftbook with her name on it I will hit the‘one click purchase’ button without asecond thought . Every page is wiseand rich and full of craft and works tostimulate your imagination . possiblythe very best book on writing craft Ihave read in 25 years.”SPROCKET“Quite simply, THE BEST ‘how to’book on novel-writing I’ve ever readand probably will read in my life—andI’ve read plenty.”(563 Ratings, 110 Reviews)“How-to for everything.”AUDREY“This is a must-read book . for anyonewriting for children. She is a master.”SARAH LEITH BAHN“This book is an incredible wealth ofinformation.”H E AT H E R S P I V AMiddle Grade Lunch BreakPURCHASEWRITINGIRRESISTIBLEKIDLITAMAZON.COM INDIEBOUND GOODREADS“One of the top 3 favorite craft booksfor writers of children’s fiction in 2017,jampacked with great writing advice.”MGLUNCHBREAK.COM, JAN 31, 2017CAROLM A RY KO L E . C O M K I D L I T. C O M [email protected]
goal is to help writers of children’s literature create compelling stories for young readers. A former California and New York literary agent for the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and Movable Type Literary, she received an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco and interned i
